Wednesday, May 25, 2016

New Guide Helps Citizen Groups Address Harmful Bacteria In Waterways

The Center for Watershed Protection, Inc. has released a new guide for citizen science groups and watershed organizations across the nation to take a role in finding and eliminating sources of harmful bacteria in their communities.

Bacteria is one of the most common pollutants in our nation’s waterways. Researchers and regulatory agencies have determined that monitoring bacteria in waterways can help identify human health risks associated with drinking water, shellfish consumption, and recreational water contact.

“Harmful bacteria from sewer leaks, illegal dumping and failing septic systems pose a serious threat to human health,” said Hye Yeong Kwon, executive director of the Center. “Safe Waters, Healthy Waters will help citizen scientists and community organizations learn more about harmful bacteria in their waterways – and what they can do about it.”

It focuses especially on human sewage sources and monitoring techniques that are simple, reliable and low-cost.

The content of this document draws upon the Center’s work over the past decade investigating sewage leaks and other illicit discharges—such as storm drains that have measurable flow during dry weather containing pollutants or pathogens—that are far too common in the nation’s streams, rivers and lakes.

The guide includes step-by-step instructions on how to properly collect bacteria samples, and several case studies detailing successful monitoring programs and the actions that resulted from them.

In one case study, StreamWatch, a community-based water monitoring organization in central Virginia, noticed that a stretch of stream in a highly urban area tested very high for E. coli three months in a row.

Upon seeing these results, StreamWatch staff contacted the environmental officials from the City of Charlottesville. The city responded immediately and tested the area for leaking sewer lines, which quickly revealed a broken underground sewer pipe on private property. Within days, the landowner had the pipe fixed to stop the sewage leak.

“It is clear from these findings that many local governments need help to effectively address sewage discharges,” summarized Kwon. “Citizen monitoring programs can help to sample where other agencies aren’t testing or provide data to convince local agencies to establish monitoring programs. It is also an effective way to improve the public’s knowledge of the safety of their water and to act as a ‘watchdog’ to ensure that local agencies are addressing the problem.”

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About Me

This Blog is a companion to www.PaEnvironmentDigest.com, the weekly online newsletter published by Crisci Associates, Harrisburg, PA.
I can be contacted at 717-576-0420 or by sending email to: DHess@CrisciAssociates.com.
I served as Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection from 2001 to 2003, Executive Deputy at DEP from 1995 to 2001, as staff to the PA Senate Environmental Committee and various positions in the former Department of Environmental Resources, working on environmental issues for nearly 40 years.